Thursday, March 1, 2012

Excerpt: In Delray Beach, anyone who needs to hire an off-duty police officer to keep an eye on the door of a club or to direct traffic during a festival shouldn’t call the police department, but rather the library.

The unlikely responsibility comes after the Delray Beach Public Library, which needs the additional revenue, won its bid to take over the job when the previous provider discontinued the service.

“We were the only bidder,” said Alan Kornblau, library director. “We have been using [off-duty police] for over a year, and when we found out that the city was [requesting proposals], we felt we could provide the service.”

Kornblau said the library, which is a nonprofit organization funded mostly by the city and the Community Redevelopment Agency, budgets for an off-duty police officer to guard the library.

By booking all of the police department’s off-duty officers, the library hopes to save on its own security costs and generate revenue to pay for the position that would run the program, Kornblau said.

The police department, which continues to streamline its operations to save money, hasn’t coordinated off-duty work since it was sued for racial discrimination in 1996. The suit included allegations that the off-duty officer program favored some officers over others.

“It’s nothing but a headache,” Assistant Chief Joseph Milenkovic said of the process of scheduling off-duty officers, collecting payment from clients and paying the officers. “It’s a lot cleaner for us to outsource it.”

Milenkovic notes that the previous vendor made $40,000 "last year". (2011? 2010? He may have been interviewed for the article in late December.)

Perhaps Delray Beach PL is well-positioned to take advantage of this revenue source. According to the Florida Public Library Statistics for 2009, it ranks among the top 5 libraries with revenue from "other" sources" (A breakdown within this category is not provided, just the total dollar amount and percentage of "other" revenues to total revenues.)

Excerpt: Allen said the reorganization will reduce her and other union officials to part-time employees who will be ineligible for a union card. She said her salary will drop to $10,000 from $24,000 and she will have no benefits after 32 years on the job.

Excerpt: During the first full year of reduced hours at Indianapolis library branches, visits nose-dived 22 percent. Patrons checked out 12 percent fewer books and other items.

But new Indianapolis Public Library CEO Jackie Nytes aims to reverse last year's drops -- in large part by restoring about two-thirds of cuts made to operating hours in 2010 at branches systemwide.

In a change from previously discussed plans, Nytes said all 23 of the library's branches will benefit from expansion of hours. How many restored hours each will see remains to be worked out, but Nytes said new schedules could be in place for summer reading programs. Last year, officials said expanded hours were likely only for the 10 most-used branches.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Excerpt: Opening a library branch on Sundays would cost anywhere from $168,000 a year for four hours at the East Branch to $463,000 annually for eight hours at the East State Street and Mill Road location, Logli read from his notes. Eight hours on Sundays at the East Branch and the Montague Branch on the city’s west side would cost about $527,000 a year.

Logli and library Executive Director Frank Novak said they didn’t even run the numbers on opening the library’s Main Branch downtown because they already know that the building’s mechanicals and layout make it cost-prohibitive.

Excerpt:Library backers hope to raise $1.05 million to support the $1.75 million project. The rest of the money will come from the city and grants from the Bidwell Foundation.

The expansion project is expected to increase the size of the current building, add room for children’s programming and fix a number of deficiencies and aging features of the building on West Edgewater Street.

Excerpt: In 2010 the four communities approved the expansion of the existing North Shore Library at its present location, 6800 N. Port Washington Road. The library, crowded and in need of additional space, would expand into additional space on the first and second floor of the four-story building.

North Shore library communities (boundaries approximate)

Glendale, Fox Point, Bayside, River Hills

Glendale owns the first floor space where the library is currently housed and since 1984 when it opened, the four communities have paid a dollar a year under a 50-year lease to rent the space from the city. The city gained ownership of the space as part of tax-incremental financing agreement that led to the construction of the building as well as the nearby Coventry Apartments.

North Shore library board proposal to Glendale City Council.

City sells its portion of the building (estimated value: $1.0-$1.2).

City donates proceeds to the Library Foundation to use toward new building.

City pays 50 percent of the cost of a new building, as determined by existing library funding formula.

Reaction of Glendale Mayor Jerry Tepper: "I don't think I would like to see the city donate the cost of the existing space without it counting toward the cost of its share."

Excerpt: A proposal to demolish Milwaukee's East Library branch and replace it with a new library [16,000 square feet] and upper level apartments won recommended approval, and compliments for its revised design, from the Plan Commission at its Monday meeting.

HSI Properties LLC wants to build 99 apartments, most of them one-bedroom units, with 118 underground parking spaces for the residents. Forty enclosed street-level parking spaces would be set aside for library patrons.

The $14.9 million development, named The Standard at East Library, would be financed mainly through a $10.9 million commercial loan guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, along with equity cash from the developers.

After more than 10 years of discussion and consultants' reviews of several possible locations, the council agreed Monday night the library should stay where it's at, though a larger building will take its place.

Library Director Mary Marquardt said Tuesday that she has started searching for a vacant building in the city to house books and other materials and serve as in interim library for a year. That is the time it will take to demolish the current building and construct a two-story facility with more than double the space, Marquardt said.

Before the $6.3 million project can get under way, the council will be asked to approve a design contract with architectural consultant Engberg Anderson Inc. and a construction management contract, she said.

A 25,250-square-foot building will be built on the south end of the current location, as part of the recommendation by Engberg Anderson.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Excerpt:For most of us today, it's hard to imagine a world in which a telecommunication device only allowed people to talk to each other.

It's equally hard for many to imagine a monthly telephone bill in the lower double digits.

Yet that was the almost-universal reality not so long ago and remains the reality for a significant minority of Kentuckians. For that minority, the most basic and affordable telephone service is what allows them to stay in touch with family and friends, contact medical and other service providers and call for help in an emergency.

At least for now.

Senate Bill 135 has the potential to change all that. Under it that minority — largely poor and often isolated either in remote rural locations or urban silos — could be forced to make a choice between joining the rest of us in paying more for an array of services tied to our phones or simply going without any service.

Excerpt:Rick Brooks, co-founder of the Little Free Library movement, estimates there are 300 to 400 little libraries in 33 states and 17 countries. He doesn’t know if most people bring books back. In the Little Free Library movement, the return rate doesn’t seem to be a critical data point. Brooks runs a continuing education and outreach program at the University of Wisconsin —Madison. He describes the other Little Library co-founder, Todd Bol, as a social entrepreneur. The effort began a few years ago, when as a tribute to his mom, Bol installed in his yard a small replica of a school house, akin to a fancy mailbox or bird house, and stocked it with books to share. When Brooks met Bol at a workshop in 2009 and heard about project, he thought the idea had appeal.

Excerpt: The new report – Investing in Revenue – says that a modest investment in addition staff at the Department of Revenue (DOR) could make a significant dent in this large pool of uncollected tax dollars. It estimates that an investment of $12.5 million in resources for DOR would generate $100 million in additional revenue during this biennium.

The report was written by Dennis Collier, who was the former Director of Tax and Fiscal Policy for the DOR. Collier contrasts the staff cuts at DOR and the uncollected taxes in our state with the very different experience in Minnesota: “While Wisconsin has cut staff and watched revenues drop, Minnesota has invested in their Department and seen a consistent increase in monies collected. If we follow their strategy, we can avoid further cuts to important programs such as health care and education.”

Of course, Minnesota's more aggressive approach to collecting unpaid taxes hasn't been a cure-all.

(1)[Board appointments] In a
consolidated public library system, the system board shall consist
of 7 or 9 members appointed by the county board.

In the initial
appointment of a system board, at least 3 members of the system
board, at the time of their appointment, shall be active voting
members of library boards governing public libraries consolidated into the system.

At least one but not more than 2 members
of the county board shall be members of the system board at any
one time.

(2) (a) A consolidated public library system shall be deemed
an agency of the county by which created.

(2) (b)[Powers and Duties] A consolidated public library system board shall have the
powers of a library board under ss. 43.58and 43.60 and shall be
responsible for the total program of public library service for the
system territory.

(3) If it is consistent with the terms thereof, a gift, bequest or
endowment to a public library becoming part of a consolidated
public library system may be taken over by the system board. The
system board shall maintain the gift, bequest or endowment for the
benefit of the library to which it was given.

In a federated public library system whose territory lies within a single
county, the system board shall consist of 7 members nominated by
the county executive, or by the county board chairperson in a
county without a county executive, and approved by the county
board.

At least 3 members of the system board, at the time of their
appointment, shall be active voting members of library boards
governing public libraries of participating municipalities, and at
least one of these shall be a member of the library board governing
the resource library.

At least one but not more than 2 members of
the county board shall be members of the system board at any one
time.

(1) (b) 1.[System of 2 or more counties: Board appointments and membership]

Except as provided in subd. 2., in a federated public
library system whose territory lies within 2 or more counties, the
system board shall consist of at least 15 and not more than 20
members nominated by the county executive in each county in the
system, or by the county board chairperson in a county without a
county executive, and approved by each county board in the system.

Appointments shall be in proportion to population as nearly
as practical, but, except as provided in subd. 2., each county shall
be represented by at least one member on the system board.

Each
county board may appoint one county board member to the system
board.

The public library board governing the designated
resource library shall have at least one member on the system
board.

The remaining system board members shall include such
representatives of the library boards governing public libraries of
participating municipalities and counties and public members
appointed from the counties at large as the county board determines.

(1) (b) 2. A system board appointed under subd. 1. may consis of
more than 20 members if the county boards, acting jointly, determine that each county in the system shall be represented by at least
2 members on the system board.

(2) (a) [Powers and Duties]

Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, a federated public library system whose territory lies within a single
county shall be deemed an agency of the county and a federated
public library system whose territory lies within 2 or more counties shall be deemed a joint agency of those counties.

A federated
public library system whose territory lies within 2 or more counties constitutes a separate legal entity for the purposes of

having the exclusive custody and control of all system funds,

holding title
to and disposing of property,

constructing, enlarging and improving buildings,

making contracts and suing and being sued.

A federated public library system whose territory lies within a single
county with a population of 500,000 or more constitutes a separate
legal entity solely for the purposes of

(2) (b) [Powers and Duties]A federated public library system board shall have the powers of a public library board under s. 43.58 with respect to system−
wide functions and services. The local library boards shall retain
responsibility for their public libraries in all other areas.

43.19 (3) is repealed. [Any county having a population of 500,000 or more and
operating a library service program under s. 43.57 shall be paid
state aid under s. 43.24 as if it were a federated public library
system, if the library boards of. the participating municipalities,
acting jointly, file a plan descbing the service program and
proposed use and distribution of the state aid the program is
expected to receive with the division and receive the division's
approval . Such a program shall meet the standards promulgated under
s. 43.09 (2) and is subject to s. 43.17 (5).]

(ag) In this subsection, “participating municipality”
means a municipality that operates a public library and is a member of a public library system.

(am) Not less than 3 years after affiliating with a public library
system, a participating municipality or a county may withdraw
from the system by adoption of a resolution by a two−thirds vote
of its governing body under pars. (ar) and (b), if the resolution is
adopted at least 6 months prior to the close of the system’s fiscal
year. The resolution shall become effective at the close of the system’s fiscal year.

(ar) With the approval of the governing bodies of participating
municipalities that contain, according to the most recent estimate
prepared under s. 16.96, at least 80% of the population of participating municipalities in the county, a county may withdraw from
a federated public library system whose territory lies within 2 or
more counties.

(b) A participating municipality may withdraw from a federated public library system.

(2) ABOLITION. A county may abolish a public library system
whose territory lies only within that county, except that a county
containing a 1st class city may abolish such a public library system
only with the consent of the municipalities within the system.
(2m) EXPULSION. With the approval of the division, a public
library system may expel, or reduce aids or services to, a municipality or county that fails to meet the requirements under s. 43.15
(2) or (4).

(3) PROCEDURE.
(a) Prior to taking any action to abolish or
withdraw under this section, the county board or other municipal
governing body

Notice of the hearing also shall be given by registered mail not less
than 30 days prior to the hearing to

the governing body of every
other municipality and county participating in the public library
system, to

the public library system board and to

the division.

(b) A municipality or county withdrawing or expelled under
this section from a public library system is responsible for its allocated share of the outstanding liabilities of the system on the effective date of its withdrawal or expulsion.

(c) Upon taking final action under this section to withdraw
from or abolish a public library system, the county board or other
municipal governing body shall give notice, by registered mail, of
the action taken to

the governing body of every other municipality
and county participating in the public library system, to

the public
library system board and to

the division.

(d) Prior to expelling a municipality or county from a public
library system, the system board

shall notify the municipality or
county and the division, by registered mail, of the reason for the
action under consideration and

shall hold a public hearing concerning the action.

The system board shall file a plan for alteration
of the system territory under s. 43.13 (2) by November 15 of the
year preceding the year in which the expulsion will take effect
under s. 43.13 (3) and the division shall adjust state aid under s.
43.24 accordingly.

(e) [Participation after withdrawal or expulsion] A municipality or county that has withdrawn or that has
been expelled from a public library system may participate in a
public library system only by fulfilling the requirements for initial
participation under s. 43.15 (4) (b) or (c) and by adopting a new
plan of library service for the county.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Excerpt: Commissioners will consider the library ordinance during the March 5 meeting. It sets a referendum question for the April 24 primary, asking voters to approve a 0.22-mill tax to be used to fund the township's library contribution.

The tax, which would amount to $22 on a house that is assessed at $100,000, is expected to raise $414,000, if approved. Ross' appropriation for Northland this year is $406,000. Any extra funds could be used to support other library ventures, such as a proposed branch or vending machine in Ross.

Resident David Winter told commissioners he is against the tax, saying that only 30 percent of Ross residents hold library cards.

"In 55 years, I never went to the library," he said. "Everybody has computers now. The encyclopedias are online."

Excerpt:Schuller's amendment faces long odds. A constitutional amendment must pass two consecutive legislative sessions and a statewide referendum before it can take effect. The measure has amounted to an afterthought this session as Republican legislative leaders spent the past year grappling with a host of contentious bills. Right now they're racing to craft a bill that would reform Wisconsin's iron mining permit application process.

(Reformatted) excerpt: Governor. The fundamentals when it comes to Gov. Scott Walker’s public standing don’t seem to change very much. People are very closely divided and highly polarized along party lines. Walker’s popularity was lower in Marquette’s February poll than it was in January, though the difference was close to the poll’s margin of error.